Crate unloader



CRATE UNLOADER HIS ATTORNEYS Oct.

Original Filed June 5, 1944 P. E. FISCHER CRATE uNLoADER 8 Sheets-Sheet 2 HIS ATTORNEYS P. E. FISCHER CRATE UNLOADER Oct. 28, 1952 yoriginal Filed June :5, 1944 8 Sheets-Sheet 3 H l5 ATTORNEYS P. E. FlscHER CRATE UNLODER Oct. 28, 1952 Original Filed June 3, 1944 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 HIS ATTORNEY Oct. 28, 1952 P. E. FISCHER 2,615,746.

CRATE UNLOADER Original Filed June 5, 1944 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 Lm; Q34 ML @mw HIS ATTORNEY5 Oct. 28, 1952 P. E. FISCHER CRATE UNLOADER Original yFiled June 5, 1944 8 Sheets-Sheet 6 33 1a if( 1 77, kaal GW.; Q/ \f) L 1|, 6g" 1 67 a .45 y0 f5 nl '97 I INVENTOR 34 I PaLzZESCQr HIS ATTORNEYS P. E. FISCHER CRATE UNLOADER Oct. 28, 1952 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 Original Filed June 3, 1944 INVENTOR my .ai/M4 2mn/@MM HIS ATTORNEYS Patented Oct. 28, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT Fl CE CRATE UNLOADER y Paull E. Fischer, Portland, Conn.,. assignoi'.,.by .mesneassignmenta to Emhart Manufacturing Company, a. corporation ofk Delaware 414 Claims. `(Cl. 294-655,)

This invention relates to apparatus'ffori hanf'- dling Ycontainers and, more particularly, to vapparatus for unloading containersv such as cans or glass jars from retort crates and feeding them in a 'continuous line to theapparatuswhich pei'- forms the next operationl upon them.

This application vis a division of the applicants copending application, Serial No- 538,565, filed June 3, 1944, now Patent2,466,693 issued April 12, 11949) In processing many articles of food and the like, after the lcontainers have been filled with the product they are placed in a 'largeopen-top holder or'basket, usually referred to asa crate, of a size which will hold several hundred containers. -It affords a convenientv means forhandling the containers while they are subjected to the desired treatment, as, for example, in a cooker.

crate and are ready for `the next operation such asv labelling orpacking yfor temporary storage.

It has been found/convenient 'to arrange the cans in the processing crate inv layers, thecans in each layer standing in upright position but other- Wise inrandom formation, that is to1say,-not arranged in rows. The problem is to` remove-the cans from-the cratek after the processing has been completed andY rearrange them from `their random formation into asingle line to facilitate their being conveyed to and fed into thelabeling, packing, or-other, machine. The object of thepresent invention is to provide an improved apparatus forsolving this problem-to provide an improved apparatus for rearranging the containers from the` static layer formation 4into a movingmass of uprightl containers and then-into a singlemoving line.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved apparatus which is capable of removing-thecontainers from the retort basket or crate without liabilityof damagingthe containers bydenting, marring or breakage.

Another object of the-invention is to provide an apparatus of the type referredto which is capable of removing from the retort crate'ei-ther the'entire group of containers rcomprising a single layer, or any desired portion thereof. y

In the accompanying drawingsseveralmodications of the invention have been illustrated. In these drawings:

Fig. 1 is a sideelevation off-a loaded retortcrate which has been placed in position onfthezunloading apparatus ready to'have its contents removed;

Fig. 2 is aside elevation-of the unloading ap- After the treatment process has .been completed the containers are lremoved from 'the` 2 paratus showing ythe.crate.nr-vertical- Acentral.sectionand ypartially unloaded. `vSee ybroken-line 2--12- of Fig. 3;

Eig..3; is a. plan. View of itheapparatus., shown-in Fig. 2.;

Fig. 4 is-a verticalsection-drawnto-,an enlarged scale. to show the construction of the @Qntainer lifting head;

Fig.` 5.is1a bottomrview of airagmenigffthe lifting' head. drawnto. aun-enlarged scale;

Fig. 5a is a section of a detail takenion line 5a;5a off Fig...5;b;

Fig.5b is a similarcsectiontaken on lineb-b offFig. 5a;

Fig is .aview similar to Fig. 2 showing a modi-- cation';v

Fig. '7 isa plan view1of y.the:gapparatus shown-in.

Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 -is a transverse vertical. section taken onlinef8-.8 oiFigg7;

Fig. 9 is a.similarisectionztaken,online Sli-esci, Eig. `6 ;1

Fig. 10 is a plan view lshowing another modificationof the invention; f

Fig. l1 is .a Iview partly inside .elwaQnandz partly in Vvertical section .talcenonl line'ztlr-Iil of Fig. 10;

Fig.v 12 is a.sectional view taken von the lline 12:,- I2 vof Fig. 13 showing the ,construction fof. the lifting. head. of Figs. '10 .and 11'.;

Fig. 13 .is a/verticalsectioxrtaken.ongvline: I3-=I3 of. Fig. 12;

Fig. .1.4 isv abottom :view ofthe fliftingxheadbi Figs. .1U and 11 :witliapartibroken away;

Fig. 15 is a transverse.:,vertical sectionrtaken. on line vI'S--I 5` ofFig. `12;

Fig..z16 isa section takeriionline [56h-[8.0i Fig. 12 showing a detail;

Fig. 17 .is a vertical.sectionatakenonlinefl 'l-el 1 fofFig.. 18 showing 1a..furthern'iodication;`

and first to Figs. 1-3',fin'cl'usive,.the retort'.crater-,Ilv

is filled `with-t`he containers. arrangedikinupright. position in layers, the "layers: preferablyl being separated' from onev another byj circular .plateslizV which are preferably.l perforated'to facilitate-.the flow of the cooking solutionbetween the. cans. Crate Iv has avbail whichis= engagedby. -thechain 4 of a rail conveyorcarriage 5 "by whichfthe 'filled' ycrate is-conveyed from the cooking apparatusto the unloading apparatus which is indicated generally by numeral 6. Adjacent the receiving position of the unloading apparatus is the platform of an elevating mechanism indicated generally by numeral 7. This is a hand operated mechanism intended to raise the crate only two or three inches or just enough to permit the hook of chain 4 to be released from the bail 3 so that the chain 4 and its associated carriage can be returned to the processing apparatus for another crate While the crate I is being unloaded.

Accordingly elevating mechanism I may comprise a platform which is supported by pairs of toggle members 8 and 9. The lower members of the toggles are pivoted as shown in Fig. 1 to a base I while their upper members are pivoted to a platform II which supports the crate. Between the two pairs of toggles there is a horizontal cross shaft I2 which is mounted for rocking movement in a stationary support I3. This shaft is actuated by a long hand lever I4 and is also provided with oppositely directed levers I5 and I6 which are connected respectively to toggles 9 and 8 by means of suitable links. Hence when hand lever I4 is swung from the position shown in Fig. 1 to that shown in Fig. 2, toggles 8 and 9 are caused to straighten, thereby raising platform I I. In order to maintain the platform horizontal it may be provided with one or more depending plates I 'I each having a vertical slot I8 which engages shaft I2.

The operator now proceeds to unload the crate one layer at a time by means of the unloading apparatus 6 which includes a magnetic lifting head I9. That is to say, the containers are picked up by the lifting head by means of magnets attached thereto. This type of lifting head has been found to operate successfully not only on the so-called tin can of commerce, but also upon glass jars having closures formed at least in part of magnetizable material. A common form of such closure comprises a glass cap held in place by a metal ring screwed, or otherwise secured, to the top of the jar. This metal ring is usually of the same material as tin containers comprising thin steel sheet having la coating of tin or other rust preventative.

Lifting head I9 is fixed on the lower end of a vertical supporting bar 2U which may be in the form of an I section, as shown in Fig. 3, and which is carried between vertical guides 2 I, the bar sliding between these guides under the action of a hoisting cable 22 so as to raise and lower the lifting head I9. Guides 2| are mounted near the outer end of a swinging crane 23 which is carried on a vertical post 24, and pivotally mounted in a standard 25 to permit the crane to swing in a horizontal plane from the full line position to the dotted line position of Fig. 3. The crane has a handle 26 at its outer end for this purpose.

As lifting head I3 reaches approximately the dotted position of Fig. 3 the layer of cans is released therefrom onto a wide conveyor belt 2'I which moves continuously towards the left in the direction of the arrows.

It is important to keep the containers in upright position and should the moving belt 2T jerk their bottoms forward too severely there would be a tendency for the containers to be upset. The swinging crane cooperates with the conveyor 21 to avoid or reduce this tendency inasmuch as the crane sets the cans in motion in the same direction and to about the same extent as the conveyor, the cans preferably being released from head I9 while the head is still mov- CII ing. Thus the crane and lifting head serve to accelerate the cans to about the same speed as conveyor 21.

Conveyor El carries the cans over a scuff plate 28 onto a horizontal continuously revolving disk 29 which is surrounded by a semicircular guard rail 39. The rotation of disk 29 converges the cans by centrifugal action into a single semicircular line or row and carries them in this formation between straight parallel stationary guides 3i and 32. The cans may be guided directly onto a reversing disk 33 which rotates in the opposite direction from disk 29. Guides 3| and 32 may be continued in semicircular form around the margin of reversing disk 33 and direct the cans still in upright position into a twister 34 by which the cans are turned into horizontal position and delivered in rolling engagement with an inclined conveyor 35. Conveyor 35 may deliver the cans to a labeling machine or to whatever other apparatus may perform the next desired operation upon them.

The magnetic lifting head I9 comprises a circular steel supporting plate 36 which may be secured to the lower end of supporting bar 20 in any suitable manner, as, for example, by means of a circular foot plate 3l provided at the lower end of this bar. Mounted in fixed position on the lower face of circular plate 36 are permanent magnets 33. These magnets are all alike and each consists of a suitable length of highly retentive steel having a channel section such as shown in Fig. 5a.

Magnets 38 are of elongated shape, their length being several times their width or height. Moreover they are narrow enough so that a plurality of magnets may engage the top of each container. They are distributed over the bottom of supporting plate 3E with substantial uniformity so that a group of containers may be lifted without prearrangement in any particular formation and merely by lowering the lifting head into contact with the tops of the containers.

Magnets 3S may be attached to the bottom of plate 3-5 by any convenient means which will hold them securely and permanently in position, and allow them to float or shift and rock slightly with respect to plate 36 so as to permit their polar surfaces (as indicated by reference characters N and S) at the bottoms of the channel legs to accommodate themselves, when necessary, to the tops of the containers. The reason for mounting the magnets 38 in this manner is that it is important to have the tops of the containers in actual contact with the pole faces of the magnets in order to obtain maximum lifting force and avert the possible release of containers from the lifting head before the proper time.

With this in view, magnets 38 may be attached to plate 36, as shown in detail in Figs. 5, 5a and 5b. Each of the elongated channel shaped magnets 38 is held in place by means of a U-shaped bolt 39, the body of which is disposed in the channel of the magnet while the legs of the U-bolt pass through suitable apertures in plate 36. The legs are fixed in these apertures by nuts 40 and 4I, the body of the U-bolt being spaced from the lower surface of plate 36 so as to cause the magnets to be loosely held in place, as may be seen in Figs. 5a and 5b. Leaf springs 33a riveted to plate 3S retain the magnets within their U-bolt supporting yokes and keep their pole faces in the same plane. By means of such a floating mounting, the magnets can rock slightly in any respect to supporting plate 36.

Magnets 38 are arranged in substantially radial formation andy preferably in a series of concentric rows las shown in Fig. 5. In this way a magnetic flux intensity sufficient to lift heavy containers is distributed over the area of the lifting head without the necessity of using magnets made of the most expensive and most highly retentive alloys.

In order to 'remove "the layers of cans vfrom the' 'crate If, it is necessary to 'lift themover the edge ofthe crate and somewhat above the surface of conveyor belt 21, then transport themv horizontally until they are over vthe belt, and then release them so that they may be carried forward by the belt/'to 'the 'converging disk v23. The lifting head I9 with 'aflayerof cansfmag'- netically attached to it, as shown in Fig. `2, is hoisted vertically bymeans of hoist' cable 22 and an electric hoist indicated generally by numeral 42 and operated by a 'motor 43. The operation of motor 43 iscontrolled by'means offa controller 44`having' a handle 45 which isl disposed adjacent operating handle 26 of crane 23.

The operator, therefore, by manipulating han# dle 45 may causethe operation of motor 43 and the resulting pull of hoist 22 will cause supporting bar 20 to slide upwardly between guides 2|, therebyraising lifting head I9 with the layer of cans adhering beneath it. The upward movement 'of vthe lifting head may be stopped by means of handle 45, although preferably a limit switch (not shown) is provided automatically 'to stop the further hoisting movement when the bottoms ofthe cans have cleared the top of the crate and belt 21.

'The operator now swings crane 23 in the clockwise direction as shown in Fig. 3, by means of handle 26 until the lifting head i9 has reached the position shown in dotted lines immediately over the left hand end of belt 21. A curved extension table 46 is provided between the side of the crate as it is supported yon its elevating mechanism 1 and the end ofconveyor 21. This extension mat-substantially the same level as conveyor 21 and serves to prevent damage or breakage to any containers which might be accidently displacedfrom the lifting head I9 before the-lifting head is wholly over belt 21.

Approximately as the lifting head reachesthe dotted position shown in Fig. 3, the cans are released onto the belt by means of a stripping mechanism which isactuated by the operator by means of a handle 41 (Fig. 4). This stripping mechanism comprises a stripper plate 48 which is a member made of non-magnetic material such as aluminum and whichV has an irregular shape,.

to hold stripper plate 48 normally in the position shown in Fig. 4, that is,'between the plane of the polar surfaces of magnets 38 andthe surface of plate 36 so as notrto interfere with the picking upioffth'e cans:` bythe magnets.

magnets the rdoviward col1arf541which bears upon theinner'iendsfoffor' levers 55, each piv'oted ata point-'ne'arethe outer Y periphery of place-36 as indicatedbylnumer-a'l '56.

This downward motion oflevers'lis 'communihas three" output shafts 6|, 52 and vr63. *Output shaft 6| is connected throughb'eveled gearing 'to vertical shaftv 58 of reversing" disk 33 and output shaft'f6`2 is connected to drive Vertical-shaftfi through bevel gearing 64 'anda chain 65.- 'The third output shaft 63 isconnected to drive *cone veyor belt 21 by means f-a chain 66.

Referring now to the modification shown in Figs. 6-9, inclusive, all three elements of the apparatus-crate support, crane and 'converging mechanism, are of changed construction. yCrate la itself differs from crate l in that it is providedwith a removable bottom 61 which is supported on 'a ledge k68 around the bottom of the side of the crate when the crate is filled Vwith cans, but which can be raised as shown in Fig. 6, to facili--4 tate the unloading process.

The 'crate support, indicated generally by numeral 1a includes a base Illa, on top of whichisl which serves to support the body of crate la properly centered over an elevating mechanism` by which the bottom 61 of the crate may be elevated from time to time during the unloadingl of the crate as each layer of cans is removed.

l This elevating apparatus comprises a platform 1t to engage the crate bottom 61 which is raised and lowered by means of a lazy tongs mechanism 1| actuated by means of a pair of nuts 12 which engage a horizontal shaft 13 provided with'rig'htl and left hand threads so that as 4the shaft is rotated in one direction, nuts 12 'approach veach other and cause platform 10 to rise. When 'the' shaft is rotated in the opposite direction, nuts 1,2 recede from one'anotherand 'cause platform 10 tobe lowered.

Shaft`13 is'operated bysuitable4` chain or other gearing 14A from an/electric 'motor 15 'through' operating handle (not shown).

Crane 23a is not provided vwith a hoist, but consists of two pairs of'parall'el arms 11 and 18 pivotedat their left hand ends to a `vertical post 24a and connected at their right hand ends by means of a structure 19. The upper pair of arms 11 extendto the opposite r`side of supporting post 24a and are provided with a weight 80 of va suitable Size to substantially balance lifting head I9a when it is supporting' a layer'ofY cans;

Platform 10 israised step by stepto bring the topsof the successivelaye'rs of cans into contact wththe magnets of lifting head isa.

VThe lifting vhead Ycan then be 'manually' swung clockwise'as in Fig. 7 as previously described in connection with Figs. 1-3. During suchmovement any lifting effort on the part of the operator is eliminated by means of the `fixed semicircular reduction gear 16. Motor 15 is controlledby'an horizontal rail 8l which is engaged by'the rollerv 82v Vpivoted on theiupper pair of arms Av11 -in the Vicinity Ofi Weight/E380. RL "81 is supported" "fri" meneur Aor handle vrIt! which `is pivoted at 63, is communicated to aupright frame members 83 which extend to the door. Supporting post 24a for crane 23a is also supported by means of upright frame members 83 and a horizontal cross member 84 near the top thereof in which the upper end of post 24a is pivotally mounted. The lower end of post 24a is pivoted in a socket 85 Fig. 8.

Lifting head ld is identical in construction with lifting head I9 except that the hand operated stripping lever 41 and ring 54 actuated by it are omitted and in their place there is provided a vertically shiftable rod 8B which at its lower end has a mushroom enlargement S1 to coact with the inner ends of levers 55. Rod Bil is mounted for free but limited vertical movement in suitable guides 88 (Fig. 9) between the right hand ends of arms 11 and 18 and is biased upwardly by means of a helical spring 89. Magnetic lifting head |9a is supported on structure 19 at the right hand end of the crane 23a by means of two angled supporting members 90.

rlhe function of vertically movable rod 8G is to effect the automatic actuation of the stripping mechanism of lifting head la when it is swung by means of handle 9| into position over the conveyor 2'la. To this end a cam member 92 is mounted in fixed position over the right hand end of conveyor 21a and is engaged by the upper end of rod 86 forcing the rod downwardly and causing the stripping of the layer of cans from the magnets of the lifting head while the cans are being moved forward by the crane and lifting head at about the same velocity as the average speed of belts 21a, In order to support cam 92 a horizontal member 93 may extend from member 84, which supports the upper end of vertical post 20a, to the opposite side of conveyor 21a where it is secured to the upper end of an upright frame member 94.

In the modification shown in Figs. 6 9, inclusive, the converging disk 29 is omitted, and instead of employing a single wide belt 2, the converging apparatus 21a comprises a plurality of narrow belts 21a and a single narrow delivery belt 95. These belts may, if desired, all be made of the usual. fabric belting, but preferably are composed of metal plates suitably hinged together to form an endless belt, or such metal plates may be supported on the links of endless chains.

Belts 21a are supported at their right hand ends on a series of separate pulleys indicated by numeral 95 which rotate on a common shaft 91. At their opposite ends these belts are supported on a series of separate driving pulleys Idil, |02, |03. Belts 21a return over idler pulleys |04 which may be adjusted in order to keep the upper horizontal operating portions of the pulleys taut. These horizontal operating portions may be supported by means of a horizontal table in order to provide a uniformly horizontal table surface between pulleys 96 and Sil-|03, inclusive, on the right hand end of which the groups of containers are deposited.

Driving pulleys 98|03, inclusive, are supported on a series of concentric shafts indicated generally by numeral |06, the pulley |63 being fixed to the innermost of this series of concentric shafts and remaining pulleys |62, lill, IGS, 99 and 98 being fixed to a series of sleeve shafts of different lengths, and in order to drive these shafts at different speeds the stepped pulley mechanism shown in Figs. 6 and 7 is provided. The stepped driving pulley |61 is rotated at constant speed and provided with six sections of 8 different diameter to correspond with the slx belts 21a.

A series of narrow driving belts |08 is provided between stepped pulley |01 and a series of small pulleys |09, one fixed to each of the concentric shafts of pulleys E18-|03, inclusive. The belt 21a which is nearest the stepped pulley |01 is operated (in the embodiment illustrated) at the highest surface speed. Consequently the shaft which supports its driving pulley 98 is the sh0rtest of the series of concentric shafts and is rotated by the pulley |09 which is belted to the largest section of stepped pulley |01. The remaining belts (1S-|03, inclusive, are each driven at progressively slower surface speeds by the remaining pulleys |09 which are fixed to the ends of the remaining concentric shafts which support these several converger belt pulleys.

Stopped pulley |02J is driven at a suitable speed by means of a motor ||0 which is connected to the shaft of pulley |01 through a speed reducing gear l|| and an operating chain ||2.

When a group of cans is deposited near the right hand end of converger belts 21a by the magnetic lifting head |3a, they are carried forward ln upright position towards the left, as shown in Fig. 7, and, on reaching the left hand end of belts 2a, pass over a short sculf plate I|3 onto the delivery belt which travels in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 7 crosswise with respect to belts 21a.

inasmuch as the belt 21a (which is driven by pulley 58 and is nearest the delivery point of the cans by belt S5) operates at the highest linear speed, such cans as are carried forward by this belt 21a reach the delivery belt 95 ahead of the cans which are carried by the remaining belts 21a. The same is true for each of the other belts 21 or with respect to those which run at a slower speed. Hence the cans will be arranged in a single line on belt 95 although they may not necessarily be equally spaced from one another. Belts 2?@ are in width not greater than from two to three times the diameter of the containers, thereby causing them to be worked over from one belt to another by the motion of the belts and the crowding of the cans in contact with one another. The cans on delivery belt 95 are in upright position and may be changed to rolling position by passing them through a twister such indicated at 34 in Fig. 2.

Referring now to Figs. 10-16, inclusive, in these figures there is illustrated a modification of the crate uploader in which only a portion, or fraction, of the containers of a given layer in the crate is removed by a single trip of the crane and the magnetic lifting head carried thereby. In this apparatus, therefore, the lifting head may be smaller in size, the crane need not be of such heavy construction as in the forms shown in Figs. l-Q, inclusive, and a much narrower converger belt may be used.

It is contemplated that it shall require about five trips of the lifting head |911 to remove a single layer, and consequently the lifting head may be of about the size relative to the diameter of the crate as is shown and is preferably of rectangular shape but rounded at its right hand end to conform approximately to the curvature of the crate.

It will be understood that crate is of the same construction as the crate shown in Figs. l-3, inclusive. Also the crane 23D is not unlike crane 23, being supported on post 24 and standard 25 similar to the corresponding parts of Fig. 2, and

- asians provided with a hoist 42 driven by motor 43, both of which 'arey mounted on the opposite side of post 2.4 from the lifting head |912. The lifting head, however, is supported in a diiferentmanner'from that shown in Fig. 2, being swung on a pair of chains ||4 having a. ring at their upper ends which is placed on a hook ||5 at the end of cable 22, and a pulley H6 is provided at the outer end of crane 23h over lwhich cable 22 passes downwardly to the lifting head.

Hoist motor 43 has the same controller 44 with operating handle 45 mounted on main handle 26 for thegerane as in the modification shown inv Fig. 2,. Converger belt 2lb, however, is only approximately one-half of the width of converger belt 2,1; and extension also may be correspondingly narrower'than extension 46 of Fig. 3.

1n order, however, to bring the various parts of an entire layer of cans at different times under the magnetic lifting head |317, a roller support, indicated generally by numeral Hi, as shown in Fig. .11, may be provided. This comprises a series of rollers H3 mounted on a circular lframe H9 with their axes extending radially from a common center and also being inclined so that when the crate i is placed upon the roller support ill the corners of the crate bottom will rest upon rollers H8. When on this support,

crate I may be lrotated by'hand to bring all'porl tions of each layer ofy cans within the range of lifting head |973.

The construction of lifting head |9b is shown porting bases of the posts.

more particularly 'in Figsplfi, 15, 16 and 13. It

comprises a rectangular steel supporting plate 36a, to the lower surface of which a series of permanent magnets 38a is attached, each of these magnets being in the shape of elongated channel members with their backs adjacent the bottom of plate 36a and with both the north and south magnetic poles of each magnet in the same plane and projecting downwardly from plate a. These magnets are supported in fioating relation to plate 35d, as previously described, and may be held in place by vmeans of short pins |20 which project laterally from the heads of bolts |2| and enter the ends .of each of the channel-shaped magnets, as shown in Figs. l5 and 14. Bolts |2| are secured in apertures in plate 35a by means of nuts, as shown in Fig. l5, and the pins |28 are at such a distance ybelow the shoulders formed at the tops of heads |2| as to support the magnets inislightlyspaced relation to the bottom of plate 43a, in which they are maintained by springs 39h.

The lstripper plate 38d is a substantially rectangular grid-like member having portions occupying the spaces between the various magnets 38a. 'It vis supported and actuated by the yfourvertical pins 430., as described in connection with Fig. ll. These pins are actuated by four rlevers :on arms 55a, the inner ends of which eX- .group yof Cans, some of the containers around the periphery of the lifting head will make only partial contact with the magnets 38o. For this .reason .the pull ofthe magnets, while it is likely `.to.be.inadequate to lift the containers safely, may

-10 lift them aV short distance, and allow them to drop back, or turn on their sides. This ymight break glass containers or damage metallic ones by marring, or `denting, and to overcome this tendency a peripheralv stripping device, indicated generally by numeral |2'| isprovided.

This supplementary stripping device comprises two side stripping bars |28 and an end stripping bar |29. These bars may be mounted each as shown in Figs. 12 and 15 on a series of posts |3| (Fig. 15) which are fixed in anydesired wayjto plate 36o of the lifting head. Bars |28 and v|29 are secu-red by screws |30Vto bosses having apertures |32 therein yto receive. posts |3| withalocse sliding fit so that all of the bars are free t0. move upwardly with respect to the lifting head.

Posts |3I, however, are provided with helical springs |33 which ybias bars l|28 and |29 downwardly, forcing the bosses which contain `apertures |32 against plate vStd or against the sup- When the bars |28 and |29 are this position, their llower edges project a short distance below the plane of the polar faces of magnets 38a, as indicated in Fig. 15. The bars are free, however, to move upwardly under the resistance of springs |33.

When the lifting head I Sb is lowered into contact with a layer of cans, for example, as shown in Fig. 1 3, the `cans which are onlypartially within .the range of the attractive force rof rthe magnets, such, lfor example, as cans |34, will be engaged by the kbottom edges of the supplemental stripper bars |28 and |29. As the pole surfaces of the ,magnets are lowered into contact with the tops of the containers,v as lshown in Fig. 13, these stripper bars |29 and |28 will be shifted upwardlywith respect to the vlifting head by the pressurev of cans |34. However, when the upward movement of the lifting `head mb commences-under the action of cable l22, springs |33 will cause stripper bars |28 .and `|29 to return to their original position, as shown in Fig. 15, and this will force the cans |34 far enough out of ther field of the magnets 38a to prevent the ldisplacement of these cans.

The modification of the magneticlifting head shown in Figs. 17, 18 and 19 is intended for hand operation. It has 4been found that a group of -twelve containers of moderate size can be ,lifted by hand conveniently by the f average worker in `food .processing plants, andin small ,plants vthere is `a need` for a device for handling such groups of cans, not only in unloading proc-v essing crates but alsoin lcadingor charging them .with vcans before rthe ,processing treatment, and for handling cans in groups for other purposes. The device of Figs. 17-.l9, inclusive, satisfies such reduirements.

.The magnetic lifting -head |30 `comprises a rectangular metal plate 36h preferably having an upwardly extending flange |35 around its periphery. A handle |,36 of ample size to be grasped by the palms ,of both hands vis ,secured to the upper side'vofy this plate by means of two bracketmembers |31. Magnets r38h of the same type ,as previously described, vbut preferably of somewhat greaterlength, are secured to the bottom of plate 36h in closely spaced relation. These magnets are alsopreferably providedwith oating mountings comprising'bracket members |38, one at each end of each pairof magnets 38h. These brackets have .central portions |39 whichv are forced into .engagement withY the lower .surface of plateb by means of nuts |40. The .lingers i1.4 l on each lside yof .central portions |39,

however, engage the magnets in such a way as to mount them loosely in position as is indicated by the spaces |42 between the backs of the magnets and the bottom of plate 36h.

The stripper comprises a series of parallel rods |43 which extend lengthwise between each pair of magnets 38h and are supported adjacent their ends by upright rods |44 onto which nuts |45 are threaded. Helical springs |46 normally maintain stripper rods |43 in the position shown in Figs. 1'7 and 19 where they do not interfere with the lifting of containers by the magnets. Rods |44, however, are arranged to slide vertically in sleeves |41 which extend upwardly from the upper side of plate 36h, and rods |44 can `f be depressed in order to force strippers |43 downwardly into stripping position.

In order to actuate all of the stripper rods |43 simultaneously, a second handle member |48 is provided above lifting handle |38 and preferably of U-shape in cross section so as to partially surround handle |36 when the two are squeezed together between the thumbs and palms of the hands. At each end of stripper actuating handle |48 there are bracket members |49 which at their forward portions are secured beneath nuts of two pairs of the stripper supporting rods |44, one pair at each end of the lifting head. Rods |44 of the intermediate stripper bars are connected to the handle brackets |49 by means of a pair of actuating bars |58, one extending along each side of a lifting head.

It will be understood that the lifting heads 9, |9a, |912 and |9c are capable of use in loading the processing crates with containers prior to the processing operation as well as in connection with unloading the crates after such operation has been completed, and in fact are capable of use generally in the handling of containers. It will also be understood that the crane arms 23, 23a and 23h and their associated mechanisms are capable of use in manipulating the several lifting heads for the purpose of loading crates as well as for unloading them.

By the present invention there has been provided apparatus which is well adapted to the handling of containers such as tin cans or glass jars having tin caps both in the loading and particularly in the unloading of such containers from their crates in which they are placed in order to process the contents of the containers. Although several modifications of the apparatus have been described, it will be understood that other changes may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention and that it is intended to set forth the scope of the invention in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A device for lifting containers comprising a support, a plurality of permanent magnets having both magnetic pole faces in the same plane to enable both of said poles simultaneously to engage the tops of the containers, means for securing said magnets to said support in a manner to allow limited freedom of movement thereof with respect to the support, a stripping member movably mounted on said support adjacent each of said magnets, and means mounted on the support for simultaneously moving said stripping members relative to the magnets to a position to disengage the containers from the magnets.

2. A device for lifting containers comprising a circular plate-like support, a plurality of permanent magnets arranged thereon in substantially radial position, said magnets having both magnetic pole faces in the same plane to enable both of said poles simultaneously to engage the tops of a group of containers, means for securing said magnets to said support in a manner to allow limited freedom of movement with respect to the support, a stripping member movably mounted on said support adjacent each of said magnets, and means mounted on the support for simultaneously moving said members relative to the support to a position to disengage the containers from the magnets.

3. A device for lifting containers comprising a support, a, plurality of permanent magnets each comprising a channel shaped member having a web portion and two equal leg portions terminating in pole faces, means for securing said magnets to said support comprising for each magnet a member at each end thereof fixed to said support having a portion extending laterally to engage the web portion of said magnet to mount the same with a limited freedom of movement enabling the pole faces of the magnets to accommodate themselves to the tops of the containers, and means associated with said support for stripping the containers from the magnets.

4. A device for lifting containers comprising a support, a plurality of permanent magnets each comprising a channel shaped member having a web portion and two equal length legs, means for securing said magnets to said support comprising for each magnet a U-shaped bolt having its body portion between the legs of the magnet and engaging the web portion thereof, the legs of said U-bolt being secured to said support and being longer than the thickness of the web of the magnet so as to loosely secure the magnet to said support, and stripping means associated with said support for stripping the containers from said magnets.

5. A device for lifting containers comprising a support, a plurality of permanent magnets having magnetic pole faces in the same plane to allow both of said poles simultaneously to engage the tops of the containers, means for securing said magnets to said support in spaced relation to one another, a stripper mounted on the support comprising a grid-like member having parts movably disposed within the spaces between said magnets, and mechanism for moving said stripper to cause the outer surface thereof to move to a position beyond the surfaces of said pole faces to disengage the containers from the magnets.

6. A device for lifting containers comprising a support, a plurality of permanent magnets having magnetic pole faces in the same plane to enable both of said poles simultaneously to engage the tops of the containers, means for securing said magnets to said support in spaced relation to one another, a stripper mounted on the support and movable in the spaces between said magnets, and means for moving said stripper to move the outer surface thereof to a position beyond the pole faces of said magnets to disengage the containers from the magnets, said means for moving said stripper comprising a plurality of levers pivoted on the opposite face of said support from said magnets and operatively connected with said stripper, a common operating member moving said levers on their pivots, and an actuating member operatively engaging said common operating member.

7. An apparatus for lifting a group of containers from a mass of containers arranged in upright position comprising a support having a.

plurality of permanent magnets secured thereto to cause containers to be picked up by said device by magnetic attraction, a marginally disposed stripping device on said support having its Working edge normally postioned beyond the pole faces of said magnets, yieldable resilient means for mounting said marginal stripping device on said support to allow said device to move upwardly with respect to said support by engagement with cans of said mass outside of the pickup range of said magnets when the magnets are brought into contact with the top of said mass of cans to pick up a group of cans therefrom.

8. A device for lifting containers comprising a support, a plurality of permanent magnets having both magnetic pole faces in the same plane to enable both of said poles simultaneously to engage the tops of the containers, means for securing said magnets to said support with the pole faces thereof directed downwardly, a lifting handle attached to said support, a stripping member movably mounted adjacent each of said magnets for releasing containers therefrom, a common operating member connected to said stripping members, and means adjacent said handle operatively connected with said common operating member for the manual actuation thereof to release containers from the device.

9. A device for lifting containers comprising a support, a plurality of permanent magnets having both magnetic pole faces in the same plane to allow both of said poles simultaneously to engage the tops of the containers, means for securing said magnets to said support in a manner to allow limited freedom of movement thereof with respect to the support, a stripping device movably mounted on said support adjacent each of said magnets, and means mounted on the support for effecting relative movement between said stripping devices and said magnets to move said stripping devices to a position to disengage the containers from the magnets.

10. A device for lifting containers comprising a support, a plurality of permanent magnets having both magnetic pole faces in the same plane to allow both of said poles simultaneously to engage the tops of the containers, means providing a floating attachment for said magnets to said support, said floating attachment being constructed and arranged to allow the pole faces of adjacent magnets, at times, to assume a noncoplanar relation, a stripping device movably mounted on said support adjacent each of said magnets, and means for effecting relative movement between said stripping devices and said magnets to move said stripping devices to a positon to disengage the containers from the magne s.

11. A device for lifting containers comprising a support, a plurality of permanent magnets having both magnetic pole faces in the same plane to allow both of said poles simultaneously to engage the tops of the containers, means providing a floating attachment for said magnets to said support to allow limited freedom of movement between each magnet and said support, a stripping device movably mounted on said support adjacent each of said magnets, and means mounted on the support for effecting relative movement between said stripping devices and said magnets to cause the pole faces of the magnets to project beyond said stripping devices to allow the lifting head to pick up a group of containers and for causing said stripping devices to project beyond the magnet pole faces to disengage the containers therefrom.

12. A device for lifting containers comprising a support having a plurality of elongated channel-shaped permanent magnets projecting from the lower face thereof, each of said magnets having co-planar pole faces, means providing a floating vattachment between said magnets and said support, said floating attachment being constructed and arranged to allow the pole faces of -adjacent magnets, at times, to assume a noncoplanar relation, and means associatedwith said support for disengaging the containers from said magnets.

13. A device for lifting containers comprising a support, a plurality of permanent magnets each comprising a channel-shaped member having a web portion and two equal leg portions terminating in pole faces, attaching mechanism for securing said magnets to said support comprising for each magnet means fixed to said support and engaging the web portion thereof and yielding means between the back of said channelshaped magnet and said support to mount the magnets with a limited freedom of movement to allowl the pole faces of the magnets to accommodate themselves, when necessary, to the tops of the containers, and means mounted on the support for stripping the containers from the magnets.

14. A device for lifting containers comprising a support, a plurality of permanent magnets each comprising a channel-shaped member having a web portion and two equal leg portions terminating in pole faces, attaching mechanism for securing said magnets to said support comprising for each magnet means fixed to said support and engaging the web portion thereof and a flat spring between the back of said channelshaped magnet and said support to mount the magnets with a limited freedom of movement to -allow the pole faces of the magnets to accommodate themselves, when necessary, to the tops of the containers, and means mounted on the support for stripping the containers from the magnets. f

PAUL E. FISCHER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 512,381 Keyes J-an. 9, 1894 2,503,467 Blind Apr. 11, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country n Date 429,199 lGreat Britain May 27, 1935 

